Are You Grossed Out by the Act of Butchering?

When I was little, I always liked going to the butchers with my dad. There was something so fascinating about the cuts of meat and the sterile white aprons. Also, I normally got a sample I enjoyed: a slice of salami or bologna, or my favorite, a cold hot dog. After attending a sausage making class and several recent events, like Cochon 555 and the Golden Glass, that highlight the art of butchering, I've developed a newfound interest in butchery. However, I realize cutting a dead animal into pieces for consumption isn't everyone's idea of a good time. That's why I'm wondering, what's your take on it?

I don't eat pork, or beef. That being said, butchering does not disturb me. As many have already stated you should know from where and what you're consuming. Although I could see how some meat eaters are grossed out by the face sitting on the table in this pic.

Reason number 4,347,805 I'm a vegetarian :) I agree with the others who said you should know where your meat comes from. That includes learning about their living conditions and watching the slaughter. When I watch these things, I think of a little child being killed and cut up. *cringe* Animals are like children, pure and defenseless (in terms of what typical people eat).

nope - how could i considering i come from a country where a cow or a sheep is often slaughtered at big events and they do the butchering there and then? i'm not a squeamish person and i like to understand where my animal goods come from.

I grew up with a mother who grew up on a family farm pretty much in downtown Indianapolis. As a result of my mom's early life experiences with raising baby animals, milking cows, collecting eggs from the chicken coop, killing chickens for dinner and escorting the cow or pig or goat she raised to the butcher she had no problem with butchering an animal herself or watching the butcher do the job. I think as a result I have no aversion to watching an animal be butcher. My mom refused to buy meat at the grocery and bought it directly from the farmer/butcher and being the youngest child I usually went with her to the butchers. I was a curious child so I watched what the butcher did from the slaughter to the making sausage or making specific cuts of meat. As a small girl I knew exact bacon came from, what cuts went into making my beloved bologna or my brother's favorite hot dogs. I even knew how my grandfathers favorite headcheese was made although I wouldn't eat it.Having seen this it makes me appreciate what I eat and be more choosy in how a farm animal is treated and processed. Strangely for the most part I am not comfortable buying meat from a grocery store, I prefer to seek out the local full service butcher shops here in SF because they knew the animal, they respect it and the people it will feed, and they are cautious in their preparation of the meat.

I grew up with a mother who grew up on a family farm pretty much in downtown Indianapolis. As a result of my mom's early life experiences with raising baby animals, milking cows, collecting eggs from the chicken coop, killing chickens for dinner and escorting the cow or pig or goat she raised to the butcher she had no problem with butchering an animal herself or watching the butcher do the job. I think as a result I have no aversion to watching an animal be butcher.
My mom refused to buy meat at the grocery and bought it directly from the farmer/butcher and being the youngest child I usually went with her to the butchers. I was a curious child so I watched what the butcher did from the slaughter to the making sausage or making specific cuts of meat. As a small girl I knew exact bacon came from, what cuts went into making my beloved bologna or my brother's favorite hot dogs. I even knew how my grandfathers favorite headcheese was made although I wouldn't eat it.
Having seen this it makes me appreciate what I eat and be more choosy in how a farm animal is treated and processed. Strangely for the most part I am not comfortable buying meat from a grocery store, I prefer to seek out the local full service butcher shops here in SF because they knew the animal, they respect it and the people it will feed, and they are cautious in their preparation of the meat.

This picture doesn't bother me, but sometimes I am grossed out by watching cows get butchered. I think it is because I have no experience with it. I didn't grow around that kind of thing and we never had a butcher near us when I was growing up. I think the more I learn about it, the less it grosses me out. I had no problem dissecting a cat or a pig in science class, but there was no blood in those cases.

This picture doesn't bother me, but sometimes I am grossed out by watching cows get butchered. I think it is because I have no experience with it. I didn't grow around that kind of thing and we never had a butcher near us when I was growing up.
I think the more I learn about it, the less it grosses me out. I had no problem dissecting a cat or a pig in science class, but there was no blood in those cases.

It's not gross at all; it's just how things work. My grandma grew up on a farm and butchered chickens from the time she was like 7 years old. If you're going to eat meat, you should definitely know where it's coming from.

I'm a long-time vegetarian and find that picture gross. I don't understand why it would gross out someone who eats meat, though!There is no "stage" that anything I eat goes through that would gross me out -- or else I wouldn't eat it!

I'm a long-time vegetarian and find that picture gross. I don't understand why it would gross out someone who eats meat, though!
There is no "stage" that anything I eat goes through that would gross me out -- or else I wouldn't eat it!

I am not grossed out or disturbed or revolted at all by the picture, or by butchering in general, in fact i find it an art form, it takes serious skill to butcher an animal correctly. I have butchered my share of pigs, cows, chickens, etc because my parents wanted to me to know that meat doesnt come from the grocery store all sterile and packaged. I loved it. and it just made me love meat more.

If you eat meat you need to know where it comes from.....now I am not grossed out at all and still love my "bacon" but maybe more people will stop eating meat if they take a minute to think where their protein comes from.......at least you did not post a cow..............

I am a vegetarian and am grossed out by it, but I think if you are going to eat meat you should know where your food is coming from. I have more respect for people who hunt their own meat than people who like to eat animals but pretend they're not chewing up pigs and cows.

I am a vegetarian and am grossed out by it, but I think if you are going to eat meat you should know where your food is coming from.
I have more respect for people who hunt their own meat than people who like to eat animals but pretend they're not chewing up pigs and cows.

that picture is revolting and unappealing and so many other words and I can't stand to look at it and can't believe you posted it...and I'm not even a vegetarian or animal rights activist or anything...I love me some bacon, but that is not right